More government action required to help reduce freight emissions

Friday 21 December 2018

The government must take more action to help freight operators reduce their carbon emissions, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA), in reaction to a National Infrastructure Commission interim report released today (21 December 2018). FTA supports much of the report, including the need to provide operators with regulatory certainty, consider freight in spatial planning, and improve data quality to maximise freight efficiency.

Christopher Snelling, Head of UK Policy at FTA, the only business group representing all of logistics, commented: “The National Infrastructure Commission’s report is an important step towards the development and implementation of a comprehensive, long-term strategy for the logistics sector. The report recognises the competency of the sector, but understands it needs assistance to drive substantial environmental change.”

Snelling continued: “FTA speaks on behalf of its 18,000 members; they are committed to reducing their environmental impact – and have already taken significant action to this effect – but they need the government to provide the necessary infrastructure and tools to drive maximum improvement. FTA supports the National Infrastructure Commission’s recommendation for achieving this, including: providing the logistics sector with regulatory certainty, incorporating the needs of freight operators into spatial planning, and working to drive higher data quality to maximise freight efficiency. Nevertheless, FTA is disappointed the report uses share of traffic as the metric by which to judge the sector. What is important is the value it provides to society – road freight delivers 80% of the goods the UK needs each day – not the number of vehicles in operation. “

Efficient logistics is vital to keep Britain trading, directly having an impact on more than seven million people employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. A champion and challenger, FTA speaks to Government with one voice on behalf of the whole sector, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers.